Aria watched the orangutans swing from branch to branch, and then stop and stare at the 6th graders and kindergarteners of Lakewood Elementary, who stared right back at them. The children clapped and cheered, trying to get the attention of the animals. Aria turned away from the excitement to look at Lucas, leaning on the wall and pointing out something funny that the littlest orangutan was doing. Lucas was wearing a Lakewood T-shirt, as were she and all the kids, as well as the parent chaperones. One big family.
Aria knew something had changed on the night they went to the lake for ice cream. Lucas was usually making jokes and bantering light-heartedly with other people, but she had mistaken that for a lack of depth. When he had drawn out her sad story about Jake and listened so carefully, stroking her hand, she began to see him in a different light. Lucas was compassionate and cared deeply about other people. She didn't know how she could ever have thought otherwise, considering how sweet and kind Lily was.
And if she was honest with herself, this was about more than friendship. It was the beginning of something much more complicated, something she still didn't know if she wanted. She did not want to risk her heart again. But her heart didn't seem to be listening. Aria wanted to keep things between her and Lucas simple, but it was getting more challenging with each day that went by. Even as she watched him in the sunshine, laughing with his students, she felt pulled to him. Fortunately, the presence of the kids would keep things on a professional level today. Easy, really. Just keep her mind on her job.
"Ms. Spencer, Ms. Spencer, can we see the polar bears? Please? Can we go there next?" one of the kids asked.
Aria was pulled back from her thoughts. "Sure, why not? What do you think polar bears do all day when they're not at the North Pole?"
"Drink slushies to stay cool!" one of the kids shouted.
"Slushies! Slushies! Slushies!" the kids began to chant. "We want Slushies!" Aria's eyes met Lucas's over the herd of chanting kids. He grinned.
Lucas said. "Slushies sound great, but right now we need to see some polar bears. I'll bet the polar bears can tell us where we can get good Slushies. Maybe we can arrange a little field trip for Slushies next week." The kids groaned.
Aria said, "That sounds like a great plan, Mr. D'Angelo. I'm sure the kindergarteners would love that, right, friends?"
The kids grumbled, but allowed Lucas to lead them off in the direction of the polar bear exhibit. They crowded together on the sidewalk down the hill. Some of the kids danced ahead, and other trailed along behind the group. Aria, who was bringing up the rear, stopped to help one of her students with her shoelace.
When she heard one of the girls shriek, she looked up to see Jeremy, one of her more energetic and daring students, teetering on the brick wall next to the sidewalk. His arms spiraled in the air as he tried to regain his balance. Aria rushed toward him with her arms out, but she was too late. Jeremy tumbled through the air sideways, landing on his hip and his arm, which was twisted underneath him. The snap was audible. Jeremy began to scream at the top of his lungs as Aria reached him. Lucas, who had looked back when he heard the commotion, reached him at the same time.
Lucas put his hand on Jeremy's unhurt shoulder, and spoke calmly through Jeremy's howling. "Hey, Buddy, I know this hurts like getting smacked down by the Hulk, but you're going to be okay. Jeremy, it's okay. Slow down your breathing. It's okay." Lucas stroked Jeremy's forehead, transferring his calmness to Jeremy. Jeremy's screaming subsided to whimpering. Aria was already on the phone to his mom, who was leaving work immediately.
"Jeremy, your mom is on her way, Honey," Aria said. She was kneeling by Jeremy as the students and chaperones gathered around. As Lucas continued to tend to Jeremy, she stood up and addressed the group. "Friends, I know you're worried about Jeremy, but he's going to get the help he needs, and he will be just fine. He'll be back at school before you know it. Parents, could you take the students to the polar bear exhibit, just like we planned, and from there to the Penguin Playground? One of us will catch up with you there." The worried parents and kids shuffled off to see the polar bears, in a much less festive mood than a few minutes before.
Aria knelt back down beside Jeremy. Lucas was talking calmly to him about the animals they had seen so far at the zoo, and the farm field trip they were thinking of doing in the spring. His even voice soothed Jeremy, who was still grimacing in pain. Aria watched Lucas handle the little boy with the same compassion he had showed her the night they went to the lake. He was surprising her in so many ways.
*****
After Jeremy's mother had arrived, and they had loaded him into her car, Aria and Lucas walked slowly to the Penguin Playground. Aria said, "You handled that so well, Lucas. It was like you didn't even have to think about it; you just knew exactly what to do and say to ease his panic."
"I could see how scared he was, on top of being in terrible pain. Lily broke her arm on the monkey bars at school last year. Luckily, I was on the playground with my class when it happened, so I got to her right away. She had that same wild look in her eyes, so I just tried to calm her down until we figured out what to do next. That instinct kicked in here, too."
"Well, I'm glad you were here. I know I could have handled it, but it wouldn't have been the same as having you here," Aria said.
"Thanks." Lucas smiled. "I think that might be the first compliment you've given me."
Aria pushed her hair back and rolled her eyes. "Don't get too used to it. Come on—let's go find our students before they figure out how to get in the cages with the animals!"
*****
At the end of school that day, Aria was visiting with Lily, waiting for Lucas to come down. She was tired down to her bones, between the field trip and the drama of Jeremy's broken arm. "Ms. Spencer, what's going to happen to Jeremy?" Lily asked.
"Well, I expect they'll x-ray his arm, and then he'll get a cast."
"I got a cast when I broke my arm."
"Your dad told me about that. Did it hurt a lot?"
"I don't remember. But I remember my cast. It was bright orange, and all my friends signed it."
"That's pretty special, Lily."
"Yep, Except for the vampire Alex drew on it."
Aria didn't know what to say to that. At that moment, Lucas walked through the doorway. Lily flew into his arms. "Hi, Butterbean, you ready to go home?"
"Yes! And I want tacos tonight."
"Tacos? Again?"
"Yes, with lots of cheese and no tomatoes!"
"Sounds awesome. Are you going to help me?" Lucas asked her as she snuggled into him.
"Yep."
Lucas considered Aria for a moment. She was leaning back against her desk, watching the two of them together. He said to Lily, "Do you think Ms. Spencer would like to have tacos with us?"
"Yes! Yes! That's a great idea, Daddy!"
Lucas turned to Aria. "Well, what do you think? Are you up for some tacos with lots of cheese and no tomatoes?"
"It sounds tempting, but I'll have to pass. I have a date with Dizzy for a run tonight."
Lily looked at Lucas. "Dizzy is Ms. Spencer's dog."
"I know. I've met Dizzy."
"Really? I want to meet Dizzy!"
"We'll see," Lucas said.
*****
Aria had a strong urge to say, I'd love to have tacos with the two of you, but she knew it was a bad idea. She watched Lucas cuddling Lily and felt such a warm, tingly feeling, it was difficult to remember all the reasons why she should be going home to spend the evening with Dizzy.
The cozy scene was interrupted by the click, click, click of heels approaching the door. Brandi walked into the classroom and surveyed the cozy scene. Her eyebrows went up, and her eyes narrowed, conveying her displeasure at seeing the three of them together.
"Lucas, I didn't expect to find you here still," Brandi said. "Shouldn't you be getting Lily home for a snack?"
"Lily is fine here, and we'll be leaving soon. Did you need something, Brandi?"
"I was hoping to speak to Ms. Spencer."
"Well, if it involves Lily, it shouldn't be a problem for me to be here, should it?" Lucas said.
Brandi turned her back on Lucas. "Lily told me that you are having the children start projects about transportation."
"That's correct. They received their packets last week."
"I understand that the children will be working in groups."
"Yes, that's true," Aria said. "It's more fun for the children to work together, and they can learn from each other."
"Be that as it may, we need to be careful that the less advanced students don't hold the higher achievers back. It is essential that you put Lily in a group with other advanced students." Aria's mouth was open in shock. She snapped it shut.
"Brandi..." Lucas said in a warning tone.
Aria cut him off. "Mrs. Rutherford, an important part of a student's education is learning to work in groups, groups made up of individuals with different interests and abilities. That is also the way the real world works. Having said that, all the students in my class are working at grade level or above, so there should be no concerns about anyone holding anyone else back."
Aria was breathing slowly and deliberately to keep control of her temper. But it was a battle. She knew that Lily's mother was going to continue to push her buttons, so she would just have to be ready for it whenever she showed up. An amicable teacher/parent relationship was essential for the success of the student, so she would continue to be the professional.
Brandi went on, "I'm glad to hear it. But as I mentioned in our first conversation, Lily is special. She is very smart and talented, and she should be working only with the brightest children in the class. I'm sure you agree, Lucas." Brandi turned to Lucas for confirmation.
Lucas was still holding Lily, who was watching this back and forth discussion with interest. He said, "Actually, I agree with Ms. Spencer, and I trust her to keep each student's best interest in mind while she is forming the groups. So should you."
"I see I'm not going to get any support here. It may be that I should take it up with the principal."
"Please be my guest," Aria said. Brandi stalked out of the room, and the click, click, clicks receded down the hall.
*****
Aria unlocked the front door to her home, and dropped to her knees to cuddle Dizzy, who was wiggling and dancing in delight to see her home. She stroked his russet curls and felt herself begin to settle down. Dizzy licked her face and bumped her again and again. She couldn't imagine what her life would be like if she didn't have Dizzy waiting for her at the end of each day.
Aria quickly changed into leggings and a sweatshirt and clipped Dizzy's harness onto him. After putting him on the leash, Aria left the house and they took off down the sidewalk. Dizzy was ready to burn off some energy after being in the house all day, but Aria didn't mind. The brisk walk warmed up her muscles, and after about five minutes, she began to run. She had a light stride, and as she and Dizzy ate up the city blocks, she let her mind drift.
The first thought that came to mind was how Lucas could ever have been married to Brandi. She had encountered some pushy, difficult parents during her time in Pittsburgh, but this was a new level. Brandi seemed to have a need to make demands and get special attention for Lily, not for Lily's sake Aria suspected, but to make Brandi feel important. She remembered what Jaada had said about Brandi treating Lily like an accessory.
Aria felt so sorry for Lily. She was such a sweet, gentle child, it must be awful to have a mother like Brandi. Even as Brandi was advocating for special treatment for Lily, Aria saw no sign of closeness between the two. Brandi had not even greeted Lily when she came to the classroom to make her demands. It was heartbreaking, really.
Dizzy stopped to make his mark on a lamppost, and Aria caught her breath. Still, she was just Lily's teacher, so there was only so much she could do. She would have to leave it up to Lucas to protect Lily and surround her with love. He was clearly more than capable at doing that. Each time Aria saw them together, she had such a strong sense that they were a unit, and she loved to watch the way Lucas snuggled Lily—strong arms wrapped delicately around his daughter. What would it be like to have those arms wrapped around her? What? Where did that come from? No, that would be a mistake. She was Lily's teacher, for goodness sake.
*****
Saturday morning, Lucas planned out his strategy while he flipped homemade oatmeal pancakes. Lily was already at work on her second stack. "Lil, how about a bike ride after breakfast?"
"Okay! Except...it's kind of cold for a bike ride, Daddy."
"We'll bundle up. We can look at all the trees that are changing colors now. And have hot cocoa when we get back."
"Yes! Cocoa!"
*****
After they cleared the breakfast dishes, Lucas and Lily got their jackets and helmets. When they got on their bikes, Lucas said, "Let's try a new route today, just to mix it up."
"Okay. Can we stop and collect some leaves? And do leaf rubbings when we get back?"
"You got it, Butterbean."
Lucas directed Lily on a rambling route that took them through a variety of different neighborhoods—some with large, ornate houses and sweeping, immaculate lawns, others with small, close-set homes on leaf-filled lots, and others with a combination of new and older apartment buildings. Lucas enjoyed the contrast between the different neighborhoods, and he was glad he lived in an area with such a mix of different types of houses.
But right at the moment, he had one neighborhood in mind as a destination. He turned the corner and slowed as he approached his target. And, just as he expected, Aria was out in the yard. She was raking leaves as Dizzy ran back and forth trying to catch the falling leaves.
"Hey neighbor!" Lucas said as he coasted to a stop in front of her yard. Aria stopped raking and lifted her head. Surprise, pleasure, and then concern all flitted across her face. It was like watching an old-fashioned slide show, and Lucas enjoyed seeing the parade of emotions on her face.
"Ms. Spencer!" Lily shouted with joy. She dropped her bike in the middle of the sidewalk and leaped over the leaf piles to run up to Aria and give her a huge hug. Watching Aria hug Lily created a warmth that spread throughout his body. It confirmed what he already knew. He was in love with her. He just didn't know what came next.
*****
Once she got over the shock of seeing Lucas and Lily on the sidewalk, Aria rallied. "Lily, what a nice surprise!" she said to the wiggling body wrapped around her. She stroked Lily's curls, which were warm in the autumn sunshine. Aria looked at Lucas. "What brings you this way?"
"Lily and I were in the mood for a bike ride, and since we were nearby, we thought we would be neighborly and say hi."
"Well...hi." Aria hesitated, torn between doing what her instinct told her to do, and what was the safe, sensible course of action. Instinct won out. "Would you two like some lemonade? We could have it out on the porch."
"Yes, please!" Lily said, grabbing Lucas's hand. "Can we, Daddy?"
"That sounds great, Ms. Spencer. Thanks," Lucas said.
*****
Aria went inside and got out a tray. She put the pitcher of lemonade, three glasses, a plate of cookies, and bowl of water for Dizzy on the tray. When she carried it out to the porch, Lucas and Lily were already sitting in the wrought iron chairs around the little table.
Lily looked at the tray in delight. "May I have a cookie, please?" she asked Aria.
"Of course. They're oatmeal chocolate chip." Aria offered the plate to Lily and then Lucas. They both selected a cookie and bit into it. Aria, who lived on takeout and frozen meals, was actually a proficient baker. She watched Lucas and Lily for their reaction.
"These are out of this world, Ms. Spencer," Lucas said. "I can't remember eating a better cookie."
"Yes, may I have another one?" Lily said with a mouthful of cookie. Lucas pointed to his closed mouth to remind her to chew and swallow, and then talk.
"Of course you may." Aria said with satisfaction. It was a rare thing, but she loved to see people enjoy her baking.
Between cookies, Lily pointed at the water dish. "Is that for Dizzy?"
"Yes, it is. Would you like to bring it to him?"
"Sure!" Lily picked up the dish. She walked carefully down the porch steps and over to Dizzy, who was rolling on his back in the grass. When she set the dish down, Dizzy rolled over and jumped up. He gulped some water and then bumped against Lily. Aria watched as Lily dropped to her knees and snuggled Dizzy.
Lucas said, "Thanks for the cookies and lemonade, Ms. Spencer."
"You're welcome, Mr. D'Angelo." Aria smiled at Lucas.
"I hope you don't mind us coming by."
"I was a little surprised at first, but this is nice. It's fun to see Lily so relaxed and happy, just more outgoing."
"It's nice for me, too," Lucas said. He looked straight into Aria's eyes. She blinked and pushed her hair back. Lucas leaned forward, his dark hair mussed from the bike ride. He was wearing a navy hoodie and faded jeans. "Aria, would you like to go to dinner with me?"
"Dinner? You mean like a date?"
"Yes, like a date."
Lucas was close enough to start up that little humming feeling in Aria's chest. "I'm not sure that's a good idea. I'm Lily's teacher." And I don't want to get my heart torn in two again, she thought.
"It doesn't have to be a big deal. We can go out next week, when Brandi has Lily. It will be very low key. What do you say?" Lucas stared at her with his dark brown eyes.
Aria was sure it wasn't a smart decision, but she found herself saying, "All right, something simple and quick."
"Great. How about Wednesday? I can pick you up at 6:30."
Aria nodded.
At that moment, Lily called, "Daddy, Daddy, come here! I taught Dizzy to shake hands!"
"Be right there, Honey." Lucas jogged lightly down the steps and over to Lily. He squatted down beside Lily as she demonstrated Dizzy's new skill. The two dark curly heads bent together while Lucas shook Dizzy's paw.
Aria's heart flipped over. Watching Lucas and Lily play with her beloved Dizzy in the sunshine, an overwhelming feeling of love swept through her. She was attracted to Lucas, there was no question. But it was more than that. She loved his kindness and gentle manner with kids, especially his own. She loved his lightheartedness that concealed surprising depths. And she loved the way he looked at her with both intensity and compassion. With Jake, she had been attracted to him, but she realized now that rather than loving him, she loved the idea of them together, the happy-ever-after of fairytales. Her feelings for Lucas were unknown territory, but she was ready to do a little exploring.
And there was Lily. Aria was already crazy about her. With her big eyes and quiet questions in class, as well as her energy and animation outside of it, Lily drew Aria to her. She was so sweet and gentle, in spite of having Brandi for a mother. Aria found herself wanting to protect Lily from the unhappiness and disappointment that were likely part of her daily life with her mother. Was Aria thinking about being a stepparent to Lily? Her head began to spin. This was too much to take in all at once. For now, she would continue to be a good teacher to Lily, and she would look forward to her dinner with Lucas. She would see where this all led.